Possible panel tweaks (Was: Re: Random thoughts about release)

[Ric]

Hi:

--- Juraj Ziegler <e at hq.sk> wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 08, 2003 at 02:22:50PM -0700, Ric wrote:
> > "Volume Control" does not need an icon(the "volume
> control"
> > slider is enough) _or_ the item should be called
> "Mixer".  
> 
> I see two reasons in favor of the icon. Imagine you have
> the CPU load
> meter running. It uses the "same" slider. The only way to
> tell those two
> apart without any icons or text would be 
> a) remember which one is which
> b) wait for one of them to change by "itself". This might
> not work, as
> the Volume plugin reacts to mixer changes done by other
> programs.
> c) click and check whether the volume has changed or you
> clicked on the CPU load meter.
> None of these workarounds is intutive or ergonomic.

*Tooltip*
Also, color s/b able to distinguish the diff.  But, as I
wrote,  ' Call it "Mixer" ' if the Icon is a must.


> Actually, I agree with the rest of your mail. 

Thanks.


> The second reason for keeping the icon - the slider alone
> looks _ugly_ in vertical-mode panel. A vertical bar with 
> lots of horizontal space around. 
> You can check it by running the CPU load meter
> plugin, and
> deleting the text label. I changed the text label from
> "cpu" to "cpu
> load in order to fill the horizontal space. Yes, I use
> the panel in vertical mode. 

Vertical mode is nice. :)  But I do not use it much because
when I switch from 'Horiz-Top-with Popup position bottom'
it auto sets the Popup position to the left and puts the
panel on the left. Plus when I switch back the panel is
_not_ at the top; it placed somewhere near the top,
un-centered. IOW, it's a hassle.
At the least popup position s/b on the right when panel is
on the left or vice-versa for the right Vertical mode plus
returning to the previously used "Top" should be at the
"top"(or bottom...).


> (When you look on your monitor/display, there's more
> space in the horizontal
> direction -> more space to waste -> more space for panel
> and gkrellm
> stuff. Also, having +1 line in an xterm is more useful
> than having +1
> column)

I do not use the CPU plugin so, well, I did not notice that
b/4.  But the space used is the same whether the Icon is
there or not.  I do not see the need to 'fill in the
spaces' just because there is one, BICBW.


> > (More: two desktop switchers in the same panel? ;  2
> pagers in the same panel? 
> 
> Do you consider it an problem? I consider it an option
> I'll never use,
> but someone else might. Don't take it away just because
> you don't need it.

It's a question - to be considered.  It is related to the
panel is obscured problem: if the switcher/pager has >6 or
8 workspaces, two or more of them will not fit(= be usable)
on the panel or other items get obscured(= not usable). 
The "problem" is that the computer( & XFce4) is supposed to
be smart and not let you do dumb things like add a
switcher/pager that cannot be used or obscures other items.
 
The multiple pagers/switchers is, really, pointless:
anything that can be had by two or more pagers/switchers
can be had by one.  BUT, YCBR, someone might want 10
switchers/pagers, each with one or two item(s) and maybe
that is an accessibility benefit that needs to be
'considered' too.


> 
> [e]
> 
> -- 

Thanks for the comments.


=====
Have A Great Day!

Ric
***

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